• Spell only phonetically.
  • Leave out letters.
  • Write numbers or letters backwards or upside down.
  • Refrain from writing words that are difficult to spell.
  • Discuss spelling strategies with learners to help determine cause of errors.
  • Develop a list of words and letters they reverse to help them recognize and self-monitor.
  • May choose to incorporate some of the following spelling strategies: See, Say and Spell, Fernald-Keller, use a tape recorder to make sure they are pronouncing the word correctly, chunking, highlight the hard parts so they visualize the correct spelling.
  • Regardless of the strategy selected, use a multi-sensory approach.
  • Omit or misuse sentence markers such as capitals and end punctuation, making it difficult for the reader to understand the text.
  • Determine their level of understanding for capitals and punctuation – teach them the basics if necessary and model editing strategies to help them self-monitor for these types of errors.
  • Have awkward writing grip or position.
  • Space inappropriately or misalign letters, words and lines.
  • Make frequent punctuation errors and mix capital and lower-case letters inappropriately.
  • Check learners’ writing positions, their pencil grip, paper angle and general balance.
  • If the learners and tutors sit side by side, ensure that left-handers are correctly placed so as not to crowd out their right-handed neighbours.
  • Encourage a cursive handwriting style, linked to the printed form, to establish a movement memory.
  • Are reluctant to proofread or do not catch errors.
  • May spell the same word differently in the same writing sample.
  • Focus mostly on the mechanics of writing.
  • Introduce the elements of a story (main character, etc.) along with mindmapping to work on style and content.
  • Help them understand the whole writing process including editing and revising.
  • Teach them editing strategies.

Listening characteristics Potential strategies
  • Misunderstand a message because they mistake one word for a similar word. Might say, “Pick up the grass,” instead of, “Pick up the glass.”
  • Ask learners to repeat what they heard or encourage them to paraphrase to make sure they heard the instructions correctly.
  • Recognize and use fewer words than peers when engaged in conversation or when gathering information by listening.
  • Build vocabulary through word-building strategies.
  • Build personal dictionaries by listing the word, writing a brief definition, drawing a picture to illustrate the meaning and identifying an antonym or synonym for the word, if possible.
  • Request repetitions or more concrete explanations of ideas.
  • Frequently ask for examples.
  • Reinforce this strategy and encourage them to paraphrase their understanding instead of asking them to continue to give examples.
  • Teach listening skills and clarifying questions.
  • Will eat lunch first if given the direction, “Eat lunch after you take this to the mail room.”
  • Help them become aware of this challenge.
  • Encourage them to paraphrase to make sure they heard the instructions.
  • Encourage them to make “to do” lists and number the items chronologically.
  • Don’t remember directions, phone numbers, jokes, stories, etc.
  • Help them become aware of why they have this challenge.
  • Encourage learners to ask people to write out directions and phone numbers and/or encourage the person to record the information.
  • Get lost listening in classroom or to large group presentations, complaining that people talk too fast.
  • Become inattentive during the presentation.
  • Help learners become aware of this disability and of ways to advocate for themselves, such as asking the teacher to give details on what will be covered in the classroom so they can read the material in advance.
  • Ask the teacher for an outline of the lesson prior to class.
  • Teach note-taking strategies.